Valkyrie Rising

by GR Griffin

  “So she thinks to force my hand, does she?” Odin had been all but muttering that, the divine energy that had leaked off the god, a power that had spiked with his agitation. Again Lezard had only shrugged in answer to Odin’s voice, the mage patiently focused on the Valkyrie, on the wish to see her face for longer than a few seconds.

  His silence had only added to the God’s unease, Odin having continued his musings out loud. “She really is desperate….”

  “Aren’t we all.” Lezard had murmured.

  “Or maybe she has grown tired of waiting.” Odin had accused.

  “Centuries of failed negotiation attempts would do that to anyone.” Lezard’s tone had been pointed then, none too subtly reminding the God of just how hard the Goddess had tried at forming an alliance between the underworld and the heavens. The alliance itself had been nothing more than a sham, an excuse to set up Odin for the betrayal that Hel was itching for.

  There had a long pause, Odin having digested the words. “Is your Queen REALLY intent on an alliance?” Odin had finally asked, his thoughtful tone laced with suspicion. “Or it it something more? Does Hel seek something beyond that?”

  It had been too close to the truth. Lezard had been glad for the distraction of the Valkyrie, watching the figure of her battling form dance across the battlefield. The sight of her brought such an immense pleasure to him, a lifting joy to his heart that had helped to center and calm his inner being.

  Odin had sounded frustrated then, the God bothered by Lezard’s lack of reaction. It didn’t stop the deity from trying, from attempting to pry the truth of Hel’s ambitions from him. “She couldn’t be thinking of stirring trouble.” He had said. “She’s not THAT stupid.”

  “Oh, and what trouble would that be?” Lezard hadn’t been entirely able to resist baiting Odin.

  “You tell me.” Odin had answered in a level tone.

  Lezard had almost smirked then, ready to bait his hook, when it had happened. A pivot of her heel, the platinum haired Valkyrie having turned for some reason. There had been a loud, sickening squelch of sound, the Goddess sword having then thrust forward, the blood and gore covered tip protruding out of the back of a monster. Already in awe of her as a woman, and as a warrior, it was her sheer brute strength that had reminded Lezard that this was no ordinary female. With that strength and her ability, the Goddess having taken on a monster nearly triple her size.

  The monster had howled out it’s pain, a wail of such immense agony that any and all who had heard it, had known it for the creature’s death knell. Clawed limbs had dropped down to dangle limply at it’s sides, the monster’s immense weight only doubling, staying upright only due to Goddess and her sword. When it would finally hit against the ground, the sharp thud of sound had made the very Heavens themselves shake, Lezard barely able to keep upright.

  The ground had been unstable, HE had been unstable, Lezard inhaling a sharp breath at the sight of the Goddess’ face bathed in the moonlight. With the pale glow of the moon upon her, with her skin so white and so smooth, with the gleam of the few platinum strands that had slipped free of her braid, Lezard saw the Valkyrie’s face fully for the first time.

  That stark loveliness, that ethereal beauty, it had been a sight that had left him staggered for breath, his very heart having felt as thought it had leaped to his throat to choke him. That sweetheart face, those soft pouting lips, lent an air of divine sensuality to her, the Goddess a vision that would have fit just as perfect in his bed as she so clearly did on the battlefield.

  Without even having realized it, Lezard had then made a sound. Some strangled noise of his blatant admiration. For it had been that precise moment, that the awestruck mage had known that this was a woman, a goddess worth obtaining. For it had been just the chance of worshiping at her feet, that Lezard had realized that he would pay any price.

  “Ah...” Odin had noted just where Lezard’s attention had gone. “Her name is Lenneth.” He had then said. “A most favored daughter, her accomplishments as a Valkyrie number in the thousands.”

  “Lenneth.” Lezard had breathed out her name with all of the awe and reverence that should have been the God’s due. Instead the mage had been dismissive, completely ignoring Odin in favor of the warrior Goddess.

  Odin hadn’t seemed to have minded, the God going so far as to seize upon the opportunity that this distraction had afforded him. Lezard had been vaguely aware of the questions, the none too subtle prying that the divine Lord had attempted. Lezard hadn’t been able to answer, hadn’t wanted to, simply too focused on the Valkyrie. Too lost to the feelings that she had aroused inside him, those unfamiliar longing leaving him struggling. The infatuation and that wholehearted desire, Lezard having been lost, helpless to do anything but stare enrapt.

  It had all been so new to him. The feelings that had birthed to life inside of him had been so wholly different from anything that Lezard had ever felt, any experience that the man had ever had. No woman could compare, no female had ever even tried, his heart almost hurting with the need that had come alive inside of him.

  Driven by the need to possess the Goddess for his own, there had been no other choice. No other hope, Lezard having put aside his doubts and his disgust. If I am to tell you anything of any lasting importance, we will need a suitable and secure place.” Lezard had laid out the first of his cards to Odin, his eyes still on the Valkryie. On Lenneth, her armored figure the motivating force behind his every word now.

  “Can one of Hel’s agents even be capable of the truth that I require?”

  “When the...reward is valued enough, THIS one can.” He had heard Odin’s chuckle then, had felt the spike in power a moment before the ether had hit him. For one second Lezard had thought that he had been betrayed, that Odin had chosen instead to strike him down. It had made him panic, a protest in his throat that came out a startled squeak as Lezard found himself dropped to his hands and knees

  Instead of the rough and uneven grass and ground of the plains of Idavoll, Lezard had felt the smooth pearl like texture of a floor. He had opened his eyes, had seen the pristine white underneath him, the floor stretching out for miles before him. It ended at the foot of a dais, a deep royal purple coloring the velvet carpets that draped over the stairs. His eyes had traveled upwards, Lezard taking in a vague impression of marble columns, and walls that were gilded with silver and gold. There had even been a twinkle of the light, the gleaming facets of jewels arranged into decorative patterns on the ceiling. They had looked like a multi color of stars, spread out against a midnight blue backdrop.

  It was an impressive sight, one that not only rivaled Eljudnir, but outshone it. Light and airy to Eljudnir’s dark, Queen Hel’s castle was a cold and stark place. For all of it’s wealth, and its carefully crafted beauty, Eljudnir had never felt like a home so much as a prison. With its sinister shadows, and the danger everywhere, death had lurked in it’s every corner.

  Castle Valhalla was it’s complete opposite in every way. It didn’t matter that they were at the heart of a battefield, that the castle and it’s surrounding lands were constantly besieged by that of the armies of the undead. There was a warmth here, a prevailing sense of comfort and ease that was suffused into the very foundation of the building. It gave off the illusion that one was safe, that one was protected, by the castle and by the very beings who lived on inside it.

  At the top of the dais, on a throne that looked to be made out of silver and gold, had sat the God, Odin. His pose had been one that had belied his impatience, the God drumming agitated fingers against the gold gilded arm rest.

  In the moment, Odin had very much reminded Lezard of Queen Hel, the Goddess often having done similar from atop her ebony throne. “Well, mortal? Speak!”

  “Do you honestly think me so foolish?” Lezard had questioned with a mocking lift of his brow. “I am not so stupid as to betray one God without securing the promise and protection of another.”

  Odin had been outraged. “You DARE presume you
have ANY right to my promises?!”

  “It is that daring that will keep me alive.” Lezard had countered. His expression had been tight, the mage unable to so much as smile, the moment, the promise, too serious for anything else. “You must give me your word that no harm will befall me. Not from your hand, and not from that of your people.”

  It would take Odin time to answer, the God slowly considering the mage’s request. Several long minutes would pass before the God would then nod. “So be it.” He had said but not without grumbling. “I swear on my father’s name and all that I hold holy, that no harm shall be done to you by me, or by my people.” He had flashed a disarming smile then, Odin’s words holding a none too subtle threat. “I cannot swear the same of your Queen.”

  Lezard had had to stifle a shudder. “She can never know that I am telling you this. No one can.” He had braced himself then to be unflinching, Lezard exhaling a deep breath as he had admitted the following truth. “Queen Hel is not in the market to ally with you. She has NEVER held that as her true desire.”

  “That is not much of a surprise.” Odin had admitted.”But then why waste the time and the resources on such a ploy? How many of her minions have I already slain for her ruse?”

  “Thousands.” Lezard had readily answered.

  “So many lives wasted...Whatever is the point?”

  “On the off chance you’d fall for it.” Lezard had stated. “Hel has want of so much, has the ambition and the desire to take what she can---ALL that she can.”

  “If it’s a war that she wants…”

  “Hel knows she couldn’t win with a direct assault. Not as things now stand, not even with your resources spent fighting against the undead. Crazy that she may be, my Queen is not stupid.” Lezard had told him. “Instead she seeks the advantage that your distraction with Brahms’ undead will give her.”

  “Midgard?” Odin had guessed with a growl. “She thinks to take over my holdings in that realm.”

  “It’s more than just Midgard that Hel is after.” The outward calm that he had projected, had been at odds with the racing beat of his heart. “She wants your everything, and Hel is not afraid to use any and all means to get it.”

  “What can she do?” Odin had scoffed.

  “What can’t she do?” The mage had countered. “She’s a Goddess in her own right..”

  “She is INSANE!”

  “She is also determined.” Lezard had pointed out. “If given the enough time, the right resources, and the information needed, even Hel would become a formidable opponent.”

  “I’ll deny her all that and more!” Odin had snapped out a roar, pounding a fist against his throne’s arm rest.

  “Do you really think you can stop her? When she has already had centuries to prepare?” Lezard had asked.

  “Tell me everything.” Odin had then ordered.

  It was almost TOO easy, Lezard had thought, to gain the God’s undivided attention if not his trust. It would have only taken a few more subtle twists, and Lezard was certain he could have carried out Hel’s plan. The sham of an alliance he could have forged, Lezard than prying secrets, the weaknesses from Odin and his followers. With just a few words, Lezard could have realized Nifleheim’s ambitions, conquering the realms with the very knowledge gleaned from Creation’s own ruler.

  “Not so fast.” Lezard had said out loud. “I have a few...demands of my own.”

  “Oh?” Odin’s eyes had narrowed further with his suspicion. “And what else would you beg a favor of?”

  “Two things.” Lezard had been calm, his fingers having adjusted the glasses that sat over the bridge of his nose. “There are two things that only you can grant to me.” There was a long pause, the God glaring hatefully down at Lezard. Odin had seemed to stare right through him, the God’s thoughts clearly elsewhere, a debate raging on inside him. Lezard would stand there patiently, waiting until at last Odin had sagged slightly with defeat.

  “Go on.” He had said in an exhausted tone of voice.

  “I want paradise.” Lezard had hastened to explain. “I want your guarantee that when I die, it will not be to Hel’s underworld that I go to.” He had folded his arms across his chest, Lezard’s lifting his chin up stubbornly in response to Odin’s bark of mocking laughter.

  “A sinner like you in Asgard’s paradise?” Odin had shook with his laughter. “That will never happen.”

  “You can make it possible.” Lezard had argued.

  “And why would I? What could you possibly know that would ever make me allow such a thing?:

  “If you knew what I knew...if you had any idea of the full enormity of Hel’s plans...” Lezard had shaken his head then, stopping himself from saying too much. “Instead of HER spy, I will be YOURS. The past, the future, and most assuredly the present, all her secrets and her plans will be revealed to you.”

  With a persuading tone, Lezard tried to sway Odin to his side. “You can’t even begin to imagine what she has already done. The alliances that she had made, the plans that Hel had already set in motion.”

  “She’d be a fool to attack me head on...” Odin had protested. “Her armies...”

  “Are only growing in size.”

  “With what and with who? The damned and the undeserving?” Odin had jeered then. “I am not afraid, and I am not worried. They will NEVER be enough to annihilate the Heavens.”

  Lezard almost hadn’t been able to believe just how big a fool that Odin had been acting. Had he really been that powerful, or had it just been overconfidence that had led the God to believe that Hel might never become a threat?

  “How could you have not noticed?” He had asked Odin that, rather than outright insult him. “Have you really no idea of the drop in your own forces? Have you not been told of the dwindling numbers when it comes to newly acquired einherjar?” By the expreesion that had been on Odin’s face, it had been clear that the God had, and that that fact had troubled him greatly. Lezard had pressed the advantage, his voice almost whisper soft then. “It is by no mere coincidence. Your lack of new recruits are all through Hel’s designs.”

  “What has she done?!” Odin had demanded in a hoarse tone of voice.

  "I will play the spy for you both." Lezard had said instead of answering Odin's question. "You will give me harmless information to relay to my Queen. Enough tidbits to make her think I am successful at her mission. And all the while, I will be giving to you Hel's secrets and plans."

  "So you would play the double agent then." Lezard had nodded at that. "And how would I know you are not playing me for a fool, and instead feeding Hel the information that would damn Asgard in the process?"

  “”You’ll just have to hope that my trust has been well bought.”

  “Trust does not come easily, especially when dealing with one who bears Hel’s mark.” Odin had gruffly pointed out.

  “It’s a trust that you will have to give all the same if you’re to stand any chance of defeating Hel and her plans.” Lezard had calmy stepped back, his tone of voice practically detached as he had begun to detail the first stage of his plan. “If I’m to pull this off, we will have to make it seem as though you really have bought into Hel’s deception.” He had stroked his chin as though in deep thought, Lezard pretending to have to think about it. “As a token of the alliance, I think a gift is in order.”

  “I’ll not give that bitch a single thing more!” Odin had snapped.

  “It’s not a gift for that Goddess.” Lezard had retorted. “It’s a gift for ME.”

  “For you?!”

  “Call it a token of appreciation, a symbol of just how highly you favor my help in smoothing things over between the heavens and the underworld.” Lezard had explained with a smile.

  “And I suppose this gift would be the second of your demands?” A wry tone of voice had accompanied the God’s glare, Lezard only smiling all the more widely at him.

  “You know me all too well.”

  “I know you not at all.” The God had said
with a rude snort of sound. He had then given an impatient gesture with his hand, signaling Lezard to get on with it. The mage had then smirked in response, his eyes looking a little too eager, as he had explained how he had wanted a certain Valkyrie for his bride.

  The God’s outraged response was as startling as it had been expected, Lezard quick to understand just why Odin would think that too high a favor to grant. A Valkryie with a sinner, with a blaspheming follower of the underworld’s Goddess? It was unheard of, an unspoken taboo that Odin hadn’t been prepared to break. It had left Lezard scrambling, the mage working to not only remind Odin of just what he was owed, but of the threat of Hel. The threat and the reasons why they had need to fool her into thinking Odin believed in the alliance.

  “What better way than that?” Lezard had demanded. “What better proof do you have than granting Hel’s emissary a highly sought after prize?” Odin had still look unconvinced, the God shaking his head no with a frown. Lezard’s vocie had taken on a cajoling tone, the mage trying to make the deity see the validity of it. “It’s the only way...”

  “You ask for much.” Odin had snarled in response. “Many would say TOO much.”

  “Given the danger I am putting myself in, the risks that I am and will be taking, some would say I don’t ask for ENOUGH,” Lezard had countered. “I could be killed.” He had added. “In fact, Hel would do WORSE than just kill me.” The risks weighted out in his mind, Lezard had thought of everything that he had stood to lose. His life, his home, his power, his prestige, and of course his very soul. With so much at stake, it wasn’t just fitting, it was a deserved reward that he had asked for and expected.

  That reward his to dictate, Lezard had felt the satisfaction curl across his lips, Odin having at last nodded his head in agreement. Triumph and a dizzying sense of relief had then filled him, Lezard almost swaying in place with the excited disbelief that the Valkryie Lenneth would soon be his.

  His elation had been short lived, Odin’s gaze narrowing into a sharp focus. “You shall have my Lenneth as your bride.” He had said, as a finger raised in warning. “BUT! At a cost to you.”